O Dandelion
O dandelion that I see
All beautiful and yellowy
Your hours are lowly numbered
Gardeners have you in their sights
Prepare for reading of last rites
Cuz you will soon succumber
A sunny, cheerful, common weed
That will not get to spread its seed
Because it is the target
Of pulling, yanking, and indeed
The chemicals in Weed and Feed
On sale at Garland’s market
Co-dependence
Squirrels make nests in walnut trees
On branches way up high
The trees make nuts that squirrels stash
When winter’s standing by
And buried nuts sometimes grow up
To make a brand new tree
That’s full of nests constructed by
The first squirrels’ progeny
Humans too fit in this scheme
So tell your legislature
That you support the partnership
Of all that’s human-nature
Limerick
To the tailor the lawyer beseeches
In a string of emotional speeches
Give back his fixed jeans
When they’re due by all means
Or he’ll sue for a promise of breeches
Math No-No
Different folks see Donald Trump
As scoundrel or as hero
The U.S. problem I see with him?
Division by a zero
Stupidity
Stupidity is a powerful thing
With many a consequence
In your case it has given you
Excessive confidence
(adapted from Franz Kafka)
One Lie-ner
Autocorrect is my biggest enema
—
Kevin Ahern is an Oregon State University professor Emeritus of Biochemistry and Biophysics. In his retirement, he writes verses.